The Next Karate Kid

Noriyuki “Pat” Morita and Acacemy Award(r) winner Hilary Swank co-star in this story of a rebellious teen, Julie, who blossoms with a little help from her friends – in this case, the wise Mr. Miyagi and a trio of buddhist monks!A vast improvement over its immediate predecessor, The Karate Kid III, this appealingly understated 1994 drama features a compelling performance by Hilary Swank, who would later win a Best Actress Oscar® for her work in Boys Don’t Cry. Swank plays 17-year-old Julie Pierce, the recently orphaned and troubled granddaughter of an old war buddy of Miyagi Yakuga (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, the lone holdover from the previous Karate Kid films). Harassed at school by adolescent boys under the sway of an evil coach (Michael Iro

“I DON’T TRAIN GIRLS”, trainer Frankie Dunn growls. But something’s different about the spirited boxing hopeful who shows up daily at Dunn’s gym. All she wants is a fighting chance. Clint Eastwood plays Dunn and directs, produces and composes music for this acclaimed, multi-award-winning tale of heart, hope and family. Hilary Swank plays resilient Maggie, determined not to abandon her one dream. And Morgan Freeman is Scrap, gym caretaker and counterpoint to Dunn’s crustiness. Grab your dreams and come out swinging.

Miyagi Yakuga (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita) is called on for help, by the widow of an old war buddy.She doesn’t know what to do with her pretty but rebellious teenage granddaughter, after the recently orphaned girl was put in her care.Meanwhile the girl, Julie, has her own troubles with a gang of local thugs at her school, led by a sadistic sports coach, while keeping her pet, a lame hawk hidden in the school grounds.Her own love interest, a boy named Eric, is involved in the same battle with the gang called the Alpha elite.Mr Miyagi knows just what to do, and the first thing is to teach Judy some self-discipline and inner calm.The best line in the movie comes from Mr Miyagi, and isn’t it the truth?

“The Next Karate Kid” is the fourth and as it stands final Karate Kid movie. Released in 1994, a few years after “The Karate Kid Part III”, this movie no longer focuses on the Karate Kid Daniel and his relationship with his Karate teacher Mr Miyagi. It is unexplained but suffice it to say the original karate kid has grown up. In “The Next Karate Kid” we follow Mr Miyagi’s relationship with a teenage girl named Julie and watch as she becomes the next karate kid.Julie (played by Hilary Swank who went on to win an Oscar for “Boys Don’t Cry”) is being bullied by boys at school who are following the violent teachings of their coach. Mr Miyagi (played by Pat Morita from the original Karate Kid movies) comes into her life and helps Julie learn courage and self respect through the use of karate and belief in oneself.In comparison to the other three Karate Kid movies, “The Next Karate Kid” is a lot less violent. The Karate Kid has been increasing the violence with each movie, but has gone the other way with this one, and is all the better for it. There is a lot less of the karate and a lot more of the kid! No longer does the karate kid become about the next fight scene or the major karate move taught by Mr Miyagi. In “The Karate Kid” Danny learnt the crane, in “The Karate Kid Part II” Danny learnt the driver punch and in “The Karate Kid Part III” Danny learnt the Miyagi family kata. These special moves were used at the end of each movie. In contrast, with “The Next Karate Kid” Mr Miyagi teaches Julie the tiger kick, but she doesn’t need to use it in the final fight. In fact in this movie Mr Miyagi has the final fight. No longer is fighting the driving force of the movie, and I’m sure that’s something Mr Miyagi would agree with since he hates fighting anyway.Here in “The Next Karate Kid” we are able to focus on the characters. And from that we can really feel for them when the fight scene does come. So if you are looking for a real karate action movie I suggest another movie. The fight choreography itself is sometimes a little poor, but it is all done by the same choreographer as the original Karate Kid movies so maybe he was just having a bad day. Mr Miyagi also appears to be having a bad day, because although he wins his fights fairly easily, he does look very old when fighting. I’m sure he used to kick higher and not lose his balance in the previous movies.Hilary Swank is truly fantastic as Julie. Hilary Swank makes you believe in Julie and her actions are perfectly credible through Hilary Swank’s performance. Mr Miyagi is almost as much Mr Miyagi as he always was. I say this because some of what Mr Miyagi says is questionable. He says lines like “If must fight, win!” Not entirely sure Mr Miyagi would say that. Anyway this is down to the writing and not the wonderful performance from Pat Morita.For me, the movie did end kind of suddenly since I was expecting a bigger fight at the end. However this is based on my experience of the other karate kid movies. This fourth installment is very understated so be prepared for that.In conclusion, “The Next Karate Kid” is great and I’m glad it’s on DVD.

Though this film isn’t as good as the first two KARATE KID movies, it is just as good if not better than KARATE KID III. In this film, Mr. Miyagi takes a trip out East to receive a special commendation from the President for his unit’s extraordinay achievements during WWII. He stays over at the home of the widow of his former best friend. The woman is having a difficult time raising her granddaughter, Julie, who was orphaned after her parents were killed in a car accident. Mr. Miyagi suggests she take a trip to California and stay at his place on a vacation while he stays and takes care of her home and her granddaughter. Other than being fiercely angry at life, Julie is also having problems at school and is being harassed by the school’s administratively supported bullies, the Alph Elite. Through the tutoring of Mr. Miyagi, Julie is able to control her anger and find focus in her life.Hillary Swank pulls off a believable and emotionally-deep performance as Julie Pierce. The role needn’t required so much depth, but her character reminds one of the girl next door.However, as good as Swank is, the real reason to see this film is Pat Morita. It’s great to see Mr. Miyagi again. His character reminds me of a real life Yoda. As long as the story is decent, one can’t get enough of a great character like him. There are also some great quotes in the movie. My personal favorite is “Never trust a spiritual leader who can’t dance.” A fun movie that is surprisingly enjoyable.

Hillary Swank (Margaret Fitzgerald), who proved her athleticism in her first major role, The Next Karate Kid, demonstrated it again, pummeling a heavy bag with a power left on which I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end. She’s very convincing in this movie – both as a young woman from humble beginnings who wants to make a better life for herself, and as a boxer. In Million Dollar Baby, she returns to the visceral emotional range that left us so deeply moved in Boy’s Don’t Cry.

Clint Eastwood (Frankie Dunn), who has proved himself repeatedly, has perhaps turned in the best performance of his career. At times irascible, intellectual, mournful, instructive, reflective, passionate – in every manifestation, he reaches you. He was brilliant.

And Morgan Freeman is, well, Morgan Freeman. As the narrator of the story, and an actor within it, he lends a soft-spoken touch that ameliorates some of the film’s darker elements. He also lent the film a certain amount of boxing sagacity, as he spoke in non-technical and sometimes quasi-technical terms of the basics of boxing.

This film ain’t no Rocky. It has an intelligence and compassion that Rocky (and virtually every boxing film ever made, save perhaps Raging Bull) couldn’t think to have. Beyond that, it actually has better fight sequences. More often than in most boxing films – certainly the very poor choreography of the Rocky fight sequences – the punches looked and felt real, or as real as “fake” can make them.

Margaret introduces herself to Frankie after a fight and asks him to train her. He turns her down flat, saying that he doesn’t train girls. Given her pluckiness, she appears at his gym the next day, punching a heavy bag with all of the skill, style and fluidity of Pinocchio. Finally he agrees to train her (“finally” takes a while, and watching it come to fruition, the subtle changes in Eastwood’s character, is a real treat to watch), and soon she is ready for her first fight.

Here’s the only similarity to Rocky: she turns out to be a natural, with a wicked left hook and overhand right (at least that I could see) and is knocking out all of her opponents in the first round. Some might think that this is, perhaps, a bit much. However, in the sport of women’s boxing, such a thing isn’t uncommon. PLEASE don’t think that I’m saying women are not good boxers or don’t have the same abilities that men do. It’s simply that the increasing popularity of the sport hasn’t quite yet led to the kind of talent that exists in men’s boxing (although, frankly, talent on that side isn’t exactly at it’s apex). Her superiority over lesser opponents isn’t unheard of.

There’s so much more I want to say about this film, because from this point forward it moved from being one of the best films of the year – purely on the strength of the writing, and the performances of Swank and Eastwood in particular – to one of the best films I’ve seen in several years. I’m so grateful that reviewers didn’t give away the ending. I’ll just say that the ending is layered with surprises, and that it’s been a very, very long time that I haven’t seen a single cell phone being used (how annoying is that, even with all of the polite requests and warnings?), and also seen so many in the theater remain in their seats long after the movie ended.

It’s a brilliant, brilliant film, the kind that makes me want to go back and change the number of stars I’ve given most movies that I’ve reviewed, simply so that this 5 star review means more. I recently gave Sideways, Closer, and Finding Neverland 5 stars, and while they are all very, very worthy films – I’d like to give this one six.

Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is “the best cut man in the business’ intones the narrator, Morgan Freeman in “Million Dollar Baby.” Frankie can clean up a cut in seconds so that a fighter can get back in the ring and at the very least finish the fight and at best, win.

Yet Frankie can’t heal the emotional wounds of his life even though he spends 365 days a year at Mass and writes letters to his estranged daughter every day asking for, I assume forgiveness. But the letters come back marked “Return to Sender” and Frankie files them away in a box and his life returns to the needs and wants of his Gym for Boxers and to his best friend, confidant and former fighter, Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman).

And then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into Frankie’s Gym, pays her Gym dues for six months and asks Frankie every day to train her. And everyday he turns her down: “you’re too old, too skinny…and you’re a girl,” he says.

Until one day she wears him down, he concedes to her wishes and there begins a Cinderella story of fights won, money earned and glory attained. And then it’s all taken away.

Eastwood has made some great, even unforgettable films: “The Unforgiven, “Bird” to name a couple. But he has done nothing to match the guts, emotional power and poignancy of “Million Dollar Baby.” And Hillary Swank, pretty much floundering after “Boys Don’t Cry,” is as sunny, thoughtful and real as she’s ever been.

There is a scene towards the end of “MDB” between Frankie and Maggie in which Frankie explains the meaning of a Gaelic nickname that he has given Maggie that grabs at your heart and is so beautifully realized that you are galvanized with emotion. It’s so real and so true to the tone of the film that you can’t help but gasp.

“Million Dollar Baby” is Eastwood at his most emotionally aware and naked. This film comes from the deepest areas of Eastwood’s heart and soul. It is a brave and honest film from one of the best purveyors of our Hopes and Dreams.

Like others, I went into this movie knowing the basics. Clint Eastwood trains Hilary Swank to be a professional boxer. I only saw this movie because it is nominated in the Best Picture category, among others, & I felt to need to see it. I went into this movie with no expectations. I really thought I would think it was ok. Well, it FAR surpassed my expectations. After seeing this movie, I can finally understand what all the hype is about it! If you havent seen it, GO NOW! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Million Dollar Baby is a little bit of everything. A little drama, a little comedy & alot of heart tugging moments. I’m not going to give away the ending. .. that’s for you guys to go see for yourselves. I will say however, that it will be money well worth spent. I have seen all 5 nominated films & I will be pulling for this Million Dollar Movie to take home the Best Picture Oscar!